By Melissa Coleman
Dressed immaculately in blue jeans, an Ariat cowgirl shirt and Akubra with the signature sash across her torso, 2021 Warwick Rodeo Queen Tamara Evans describes her experience over the past year and offers some recommendations for the 2022 Warwick Rodeo Queen entrants.
To become Warwick rodeo royalty is one of the community’s top honours each year, giving the winner the opportunity to advocate for the rodeo and the western way of life.
Ms Evans became the face of the Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft after the Rodeo Society pushed through a couple of tough years with water issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2021 Rodeo Queen said it was definitely an incredible experience to win Rodeo Queen with the experience teaching her a lot about herself.
“I felt like I had grown as an individual because the selection process leading up to the judging is fairly in-depth and can be quite nerve-wracking at times.”
The role of the Rodeo Queen is to be an ambassador for the sport and a supportive role model within the community and Australia-wide.
Ms Evans has some tips for inspiring the next generation of queen quest entrants to help them achieve their goals in the rodeo arena, the community and personally.
Queen entrants have to fundraise a minimum of $1000 to be eligible to win any title and those running as Princess entrants need to raise more than $250.
“Following that when it comes to judging day, entrants are judged in several different categories; your appearance, knowledge, horsemanship, and personality,” Ms Evans said.
“First and foremost be yourself, the judges don’t want anyone who is not going to be genuine and authentic.”
“Secondly, be in it for the right reasons.
“Thirdly, be there to promote the Warwick Rodeo and the western way of life in general. We are another way of showcasing that.
“And lastly, but just as important as the previous three, make sure you smile because a smile goes a long way,” she said.
While Ms Evans can’t give the entrants any information in terms of the questions the judges might ask, she can emphasize the importance of having a support system in place, including friends and family.
“It’s also really important to have someone who has been through it to act as a support system too,” Ms Evans said.
For the past year, Ms Evans has been attending events and functions across Australia and overseas advocating Warwick Rodeo.
“I had the opportunity to travel to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming to represent Warwick Rodeo and Australia.”
“It was a trip of a lifetime.
“The places I’ve been in Australia; the people I’ve met, the connections I’ve made, would not have happened without being in this role,” she said.
However, her time as 2021 Warwick Rodeo Queen is soon coming to an end and although she has made an impact that will endure well beyond her tenure as Rodeo Queen, Ms Evans now looks to the future.
“I’m hoping to build on the connections I’ve made within the Rodeo.”
During her stint as Queen, Ms Evans was active in social media and became a high-profile figure in mainstream media.
“I’d like to be a behind-the-scenes interviewer at the Rodeo, reporting and showcasing what goes on and what actually goes into putting on a rodeo.”
“The people who do this sport are not regular people, they are athletes, and they work hard for it, so I think it’s important to showcase that,” she said.
The 2022 Ariat Warwick Rodeo is coming up this week.
